How to Apply to Computer Science at Duke University: Declare the CS AB or BS After Entry, the New Requirements from Fall 2026, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At Duke University, computer science is offered by the Department of Computer Science, with an AB and a BS. Duke does not admit by major: applicants choose between Trinity College of Arts & Sciences and the Pratt School of Engineering, and declare a major after entry. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry (the 2026-2027 cycle), based on Duke’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. School and major

• Choose a school: applicants must choose Trinity or Pratt, and Duke says neither is harder to get into. Pratt awards BS degrees in biomedical, civil, environmental, mechanical, and electrical and computer engineering; the computer science AB and BS are not among them. The pages we read do not say whether Pratt students can major or second-major in computer science; check with admissions.
• When to declare: the department says spring of sophomore year is the ideal time, with a deadline of the Friday before spring break, using the Academic Plan Change form.
• New requirements from fall 2026: both the AB and BS now include AI in the core. First-year students entering in fall 2026 or later follow them; earlier students follow the old requirements.
• BS: at least 15 units in the major and at least 34 units for the degree.
  • Prerequisites, 4 units: an introductory course (COMPSCI 101L, 102L, 116 or equivalent; 101L is waived if you complete COMPSCI 201); MATH 111L and 112L (or MATH 21 and 22 or other equivalents); and one probability/statistics course (such as STA 230, MATH 230 or STA 240L).
  • Core, 5 units: COMPSCI 201; discrete math (COMPSCI 230, 231D or 232); computer architecture (COMPSCI 210D or 250D); COMPSCI 270 (or two specified math courses); COMPSCI 330.
  • One systems course and one AI course from approved lists.
  • Electives, 4 units: three 200-level or higher COMPSCI courses (one may be independent study) and one 200-level or higher course with substantial computer science content approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies (it may be a social and policy oriented computing course).
  • Four optional concentrations: software systems, data science, AI and machine learning, and software engineering and design. They add no courses but guide course choices, and appear on the transcript.
• AB: at least 11 units in the major and at least 34 units for the degree: 3 prerequisite units (an introductory course and MATH 111L/112L or equivalents), 5 core units (COMPSCI 201; 230/231D/232; 210D/250D; 270 or 372; 330), one systems course and 2 electives. The AB has one optional concentration, software engineering and design.
• Other options: computer science minors, interdepartmental majors (IDM, for example with math, statistics or linguistics), the CS 4+1 program for Duke undergraduates, and departmental Graduation with Distinction (apply to the Director of Undergraduate Studies).

First courses and programming experience

• COMPSCI 101L: no previous programming experience needed; taught in Python with a required lab; the department’s typical introduction.
• COMPSCI 94: offered in fall, a slower introduction through animation and 3-D virtual worlds; students who want to continue then take 101L.
• COMPSCI 201 (Data Structures & Algorithms, in Java): students with AP Computer Science A credit get credit for 101L and can take 201. Students with a full high school programming course, AP or not, do well in 201; those without AP credit but with a year or more of formal study can ask the Director of Undergraduate Studies about starting with 201.

2. Dates and materials

• Early Decision (binding): due November 2, 2026, with decisions in mid-December; ED applicants also send first-quarter grades.
• Regular Decision: due January 4, 2027; midyear grades by February 15; decisions in late March or early April.
• Materials: the Common Application or QuestBridge, high school transcript, school report and counselor recommendation, two teacher recommendations, Duke’s supplemental essays and an $85 application fee.
• Interviews: alumni interviews are optional and not offered to everyone; not being interviewed does not hurt you. Duke also considers InitialView interviews from international applicants and particularly encourages students at schools in China to arrange one.
• Course advice: four years of English and at least three years each of math, natural science, world language and social studies, usually five academic courses a year.

3. Testing and English

• SAT/ACT: Duke is test-optional in the 2026-2027 cycle, including for international students and merit scholarship candidates; applying without scores is not a disadvantage. Submitted SAT and ACT scores are superscored by section.
• English tests: for non-native speakers or students not in an English-medium curriculum, Duke recommends but does not require a test and uses your highest score. Suggested minimums:
  • TOEFL iBT 100;
  • IELTS 7;
  • Duolingo 130;
  • Cambridge C1/C2 and PTE are also accepted.
  Official Duolingo submissions are free, so Duke suggests sending them officially; other English scores can be self-reported.

4. Students at high schools in China

• There is no separate international application, and testing policies are the same for everyone. Duke does not mention how Gaokao results are used; decisions rest mainly on your transcript, course rigor, essays and recommendations.
• Transcripts needing translation can be translated by an official service, an EducationUSA adviser or a school official, and the originals must be submitted too.
• Consider an InitialView interview and an English test score (TOEFL 100, IELTS 7 or Duolingo 130 as guides).

5. Students at Canadian high schools

• Duke lists no province-specific requirements (including for BC); you are reviewed like other applicants on your transcript, course rigor and school report.
• Students at English-medium high schools generally do not need an English test.
• AP or IB results can earn limited credit or placement after enrolment through the Registrar; AP Computer Science A can earn credit for COMPSCI 101L.

6. Costs and aid (US$)

• 2026-2027, first-year students: tuition 73,740, fees about 3,019, housing (double room) 11,560 and food 10,469, for billed costs of about 98,788; with books, personal and travel costs, the total is about 103,180 to 103,975.
• Aid for international students:
  • foreign citizens must apply for need-based aid in their original first-year application to be eligible for Duke need-based funding at any point;
  • Duke says the admit rate for foreign citizens seeking aid is usually less than half the overall rate;
  • all applicants are automatically considered for a small number of merit scholarships, and applying for aid does not affect that.

7. Transfer students

• Deadline: submit between February 1 and March 15, with no early submissions; fall entry only, no spring transfer.
• Eligibility: college study within the past four years and at least one full year of transferable college work completed by the August you enrol; no applicants who already hold a bachelor’s degree; no part-time students.
• Size and selectivity: about 70 students transfer in each fall, most as sophomores and a few as juniors. In the 2025-2026 cycle, 2,460 applied and 160 were admitted, a 6.5% admit rate.
• How to apply: the Duke Transfer Application or the Coalition on Scoir (no Common App for transfers this cycle), with college transcripts, a final high school transcript, two instructor evaluations (at least one from a college instructor) and essays. Testing is optional.
• Credit: Duke gives no preliminary credit evaluation, grants credit for at most two years of outside coursework, and requires at least two years at Duke. At least half of any major must be taken at Duke. Computer science course substitutions need a consultation with the department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies before final approval.
• Aid: no need-based aid for international transfer students and no merit scholarships for transfers; international transfers cannot get fee waivers.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply through the Common App by November 2, 2026 (ED) or January 4, 2027 (RD), choosing Trinity or Pratt
• Send transcripts with English translations and originals; consider TOEFL 100 / IELTS 7 / Duolingo 130 or higher
• Book an InitialView interview
• If you need aid, apply for it with this application
• After entry, start with COMPSCI 101L (no experience) or 201 (with experience), and declare in spring of sophomore year

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Apply by the ED or RD deadline; SAT/ACT optional
• ED applicants send first-quarter grades; everyone sends midyear grades by February 15

Transfer students:

• Complete at least a year of college coursework before entry; apply between February 1 and March 15
• International transfers must fund the full cost (about US$103,000 for 2026-2027)

Sources: Duke University, Undergraduate admissions: requirements, dates, international and transfer applicants; Admissions FAQs; Trinity College of Arts & Sciences; Pratt School of Engineering; Computer Science BS requirements; Computer Science AB requirements; Getting started in computer science; Computer science minors; 2026-2027 cost of attendance. Information is for fall 2027 entry (the 2026-2027 admissions cycle). Check Duke for the latest details.